In 2006,
8,847 lIcensed
denTal HYgIenIsTs
were acTIvelY pracTIcIng In Texas.
Head-Davis, RN and director of the 16 years. At the bachelor’s level, most students
vocational nursing program at Texas State major in either biological sciences or public
Technical College in West Texas. “It can health, says Raul Caetano, MD, dean of the
change students’ lives in one year,” she says. Allied Health Program for the University of
“We have students come into our LVN Texas Southwestern Medical Center
program making minimum wage. When they at Dallas.
graduate, they can earn over $15 an hour.” Medical school takes four years, followed
by a residency in which the student trains in a
College Degrees hospital or clinic. “The residency time varies
Some careers require a two-year associate’s across different specialties,” says Caetano. “In
degree. Even for the careers that don’t, “if general, the residency programs take three to
students want to move into supervisory five years.”
positions, they need to earn the higher
degrees,” says Barbara Bennett, division Top-rated Programs
director of health programs at Texas State Texas has some of the top-rated health science
Technical College at Harlingen. programs in the nation. U.S. News & World
Two-year associate’s degrees offered by Report ranks both the University of Texas
technical and community colleges in Texas at Austin Ph.D. pharmacy program and the
include medical transcription, surgical U.S. Army Graduate Program in Anesthesia
technology, and registered nursing. Nursing (based at Fort Sam Houston in San
Other careers, such as clinical laboratory Antonio) No. 2 in their categories.
science and healthcare administration, The University of Texas Southwestern
Get the CREDIT
require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor School
from a four-year university. of Medicine are ranked in the top 20 among
You Deserve
Registered nurses enter the profession with medical schools in both the research and
either an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s primary care categories.
T
ech prep in Texas is a great way to earn
college credits toward a technical career
degree. “At the bachelor’s level,” says Jackson, Before students make long-range plans
while you’re still in high school. Tech prep
“students are prepared to do not only to attend a health science program, they
programs center on “articulation agreements,”
hospital based nursing but more independent should investigate the requirements for
contracts between the student, his or her high
nursing,” including community health and each program. “Many programs are very
school, and community colleges the student
home health care. competitive,” says Caetano.
would like to attend. The agreement includes
For example, Caetano says, the physician
recommendations for courses to be completed
beyond a bachelor’s Degree assistant program at UT Southwestern
before graduation and outlines a two-year
Some specialist occupations, such as Medical Center at Dallas receives about 400
degree or certificate program.
cytotechnologist and histotechnologist, applications each year for 35 to 40 openings.
selected courses in a Tech prep plan cover
require one year of special instruction after The trick to getting into these competitive
the same material as the equivalent college
receiving a bachelor’s degree. Other careers, programs? High standardized test scores, a
course, allowing the student to receive what
including certified nurse-midwife and high GPA, and “a strong background in the
is called advanced technical credit toward the
physician assistant, require a master’s degree, advanced sciences and math,” says Caetano.
college degree. It’s like a bank account. The
which usually takes two additional years after “Students have to stay focused once they
credit is banked for you at the college, and you
a bachelor’s degree. start high school,” he says.
withdraw it when you enroll.
Higher-level study toward a Ph.D. or “Take rigorous
for more information on Tech prep, visit
first professional degree is required for classes.”
www.techpreptexas.org. ask your counselor
chiropractors, dentists, psychologists,
about advanced placement, dual credit, or
and optometrists.
articulated courses and other opportunities to
Physicians, either medical doctors (MDs) or
earn college credit.
doctors of osteopathy (DOs), require the most
postsecondary education —between 11 and
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